Stamp guide for mailing machines



March M, 195@ J, W MOCAUSLAND 2,5,&415

STAMP GUIDE FOR MAILING MACHINES Filed May 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor March 14, 15 J. W. MCCAUSLAND 25%,845

STAMP GUIDE FOR MAILING MACHINES Filed May 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I 11 ueutor (,jbi-l/V W M a yszawa Patented Mar. 14, 1950 UNI TED S TATES PATENT 0 F 2,500,845 STAMP'GUIDE FOR MAILING MACHINES John 'W; McCausland, Chicago, 111.

Application May 8, 1946,1Serial No.1668,089

l'Claim. '1

The present invention relates to novel and useful improvements in a stam guide for mailing machines, and in generalrelates to a device "for dispensing, moistening' and severing strips of gummed tape, stamps orthe like.

*Stamps "and gummed tape dispensing machines are'known in which a strip of material coated with an adhesivejand wound into a roll is fed therefrom over a moistening means consisting of a continuous web, rotating'and having a portion thereof disposed in a liquid reservoir for moistening the web, and is thence fed to a severing device. The portion of lsevered and moist tape is then directly applied to its point of use. Such machines have heretofore possessed the disadvantage that after a portion of the tape was dispensed and used, there remains a part of the tape still attached to the dispensing roll which had been moistened and still was in contact with the moistening web. After the machine had been used, and then left standing for a considerable period of time, this moistened portion of the strip dried and adhered to the web causing manifest -difiiculties when operation of the machine was-againnecessary.

The primary object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a means which shall overcome the aforesaid difficulties,-which may be attached to existing machines of this type with little difiiculty, and whichshall be'inexpensive but-of serviceable construction.

Additional objects of my invention, in conformity with the foregoing object, are to provide suitable guiding means for feeding the tape from the roll to the moistening web and to further provide a means for pressing the gummed surface of the tape into contact with the moistening web at the desired point of travel of the tape.

These, together with numerous other objects of the invention, which will be apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by my invention, one embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the annexed drawings; wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my novel tape guiding means;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a conventional type of dispensing machine showing the novel guide means attached thereto; and,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken through the machine shown in Figure 2.

Referring noW in more detail to the drawings, the numeral Ill designates generally a conventional type of machine which may be equipped with my invention, and as shown consists of a compartment IQ for receiving a roll of adhesive tape or 'gummed stamps indicated indottedline constructionat [4. At the other end of the casing issecured an'anvil Hianda knife lspivoted thereto in any suitable manner, these elements comprising a severing means of conventional type. Between the compartment and the severing means, the casing is provided with a fluid reservoir fll having a laterally positioned funnelshaped filling means '22. As-shown moreclearly inFigure 3, the fluid reservoir "-2'0 has an inclined top and 'side portion-24 constituting a closure for the reservoir and a'guidin'g means for'an end less or continuous moistening web shown. at '25.

This web is supported by a plurality of fixed rollers "E8 and a floating-rollerSUQeach of said of the web to be constantly immersed in the fluid ofthereservoir. As will be obvious,the*roller 30 .will preferablybe made of heavy-material such as brass or lead. The roller "28 adjacent the severing means is provided witha handle-or knob "32, whereby the tapemay be manually rotated to bring a moistened portion thereof into operativeposition prior to use of thetape aftera continued period or inaction. Secured :to the base of compartment 12 are "a pair of spaced standards 34 having eye portions 36 constituting journals for an arbor 38 provided with an operating knob 40. This arbor is intended to receiveand support a roll of gummed tape between the supporting standards 36 and serve as guides positioning the rolls generally in the center of the compartment in line with the longitudinal axis of the moistening web. Freely revoluble upon the arbor 38 is a U-shaped guide member consisting of a pair of arms 42 connected by an end portion 44 integral therewith. As shown in Figure 1, the U-shaped member is adapted to seat upon the arbor 38 in a position to straddle the support eyes 36 and in this position is adapted to embrace the roll of adhesive coated tape and laterally guide the same as it is fed and dispensed from the roll.

the side of the casing as by screws, rivets or in any other suitable manner. At the other extremities the support members 50 terminate with end portions 54 adapted to be engaged in suitably positioned apertures upon the opposite side of the casing member from that to which the eyes 52 are secured. A plurality of transverse arms 56 are integrally united to the bar 46, and are provided with U-shaped inturned end portions 58 overlying the arm portions 58 for a purpose to be now described. Referring now to Figure 3, it may be seen that the roll H! of gummed tape has an end of the tape extended therefrom and up and over the areuate guide surface 48 and thence the tape is drawn downwardly upon the length of the bar 46, overlying the lateral arms 58 and 56, and being received within the embrace of the guide portions 58, whereby the tape will be held and supported above the surface of the moistening web, whereby the gummed portion of the tape will not be prematurely moistened. After leaving the lower extremity of the supporting guide, the tape is now pressed into contact with the moistened web by the heavy roller 69 which is pivotally journalled in the side wall of the casing and the tape then passes through a hold-down guide 62 for passage between the severing means [6 and 18.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the blade [8 has rigidly attached thereto an operating arm 64 which is secured to the arms 66 of a helico coil spring 68 mounted rigidly upon the casing as at 10. The spring 68 and arms 66 normally maintain or bias the knife l8 into its raised position, from which it may be manually depressed as by pressing upon the top surface of the knife member l8 to cause the latter to sever the tape passing between the knife and the handie 15.

From the foregoing the operation of my device will now be apparent. The arbor 38 may be withdrawn from the casing, from the eyes 36 and from the arms 42 by engagement and manipulation of the knob 40 in order to remove or replace a roll of tape. Manual adjustment of the knob 32 will cause a properly moistened portion of the web to be brought adjacent the roller 89 to insure applying moisture to the plate when the device is to be operated. The arcuate surface 48, the lateral arms 56 and 50 and the longitudinal member 46,, all serve to prevent contact of the gummed surface of the tape with the moistening web until the portion of the tape has reached the depressing roller 69 where the moistening operation is to be performed as a prelude to the severing operation.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description together with the illustrations in the drawings, are to be taken as illustrative only and that I may employ any desirable modifications falling within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:

In a gummed tape dispensing machine, in combination, a casing, a tape dispensing arbor, a liquid reservoir, a continuous moistening web, having an upper run portion of its surface supported in an inclined plane, a series of rolls supporting said moistening web, a lower run portion of said web being immersed in said reservoir, a tape severing means supported upon said casing adjacent the foot of said plane, and a tape support and guiding means disposed in parallel and overhanging relation to said inclined portion of said web, for guiding a gummed tape in spaced relation to said web in said inclined plane, and roller means depressing the gummed surface of said tape against said moistening web adjacent the foot of said inclined plane and said severing means, said guide means including a bar disposed longitudinally of and spaced parallel to and above said inclined portion of said web, means securing said bar to said casing, and tape guide fingers carried by said bar, said guide fingers comprising arms extending laterally from said bar and having inturned fingers at their extremities for partially embracing a gummed tape;

JOHN W. McCAUSLAND.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

' UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 906,518 Elder Dec. 15, 1908 1,178,358 Thomas Apr. 4, 1916 1,288,388 Crowell Dec. 17, 1918 1,392,358 Ross Oct. 4, 1921 1,705,609 Fletcher Mar. 19, 1929 1,956,742 Koss et al May 1, 1934 2,089,420 Phillips Aug. 10, 1937 

